BANGALORE: Indiaâ€™s big bang missile Agni-5 is moving towards the strike-zone carrying new technologies as a stepping stone for futuristic killer-missions.
But silently, yet another story is being scripted for Agni-6, Indiaâ€™s club-class Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM). Range: in excess of 6,000 km.

Notwithstanding what happens with the A-5 launch, sources tell that the missile scientists are already looking at newer possibilities in making future strike meaningful and menacing. â€œThere are many more areas in long range missiles where future work can happen. Multiple independently-targeted re-entry vehicles (MIRV), manoeuvring re-entry vehicles (MaRV) considerably lighter weights using all composite structure with high energy propellant, the intelligent counter measures against BMD (ballistic missile defences), reducing radar cross-sections are some of them,â€ sources said.But, military experts point out that the Defence Reserach and Development Organisation (DRDO) will have to travel some distance before achieving the MIRV\MaRV capabilities. â€œGood to hear we are on track but it is a very complextechnology. Itâ€™s worth the wait and see when A-5 will be finally inducted into the Services, with what features and in what numbers. Range and accuracy are first two primary factors one should watch for,â€ a warhead specialist with Indian Army told Express.

Many times we start counting our eggs before they hatch Surya needs revival now.

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The most cherished dream of Indian patriots and defence enthusiasts. Surya ICBM. Even thinking about it gives me goosebumps.
IMHO, the project just went underground. Perhaps only to be revealed to the world when we are at par with the countries we will be targetting viz. USA.

BALASORE: Before the din that was kicked off after test firing of the much-touted Intercontinental Range Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Agni-V was settled down, India is gearing up to go for the maiden development trial of Agni-VI missile within next two years notwithstanding international reactions and pressures.

Being developed by the DRDO, the new generation ICBM Agni-VI will have a strike range of 8,000 km to 10,000 km. A reliable source told â€˜The Expressâ€™ that the drawing and designing work of the most advanced missile had been started.
â€œIt will be a three-stage missile and taller than the Agni-V. The design is just taking shape and other sub systems are under development. If everything goes as per the programme, the missile will be ready by mid 2014,â€ said the source.
A scientist associated with the project said unlike the bulky Agni-III, the new generation Agni-VI missile will be more trendy and sleek, so that it can be easily carried to any place and deployed as and when required.

While the length of the missile would be reportedly around 40 meters as against Agni-Vâ€™s 17.5 meter, its diameter will be 1.1 meter, which is almost half of Agni-V. The missileâ€™s launch weight would be around 55 tonne.
The Agni-VI is said to be the latest and most advanced version among the Agni series of missiles. It will have the capability to be launched from submarine and from land-based launchers. The DRDO is also working on integrating Agni-V with submarine.

The new missile will also carry more number of warheads than any other versions. While Agni-V can carry up to three nuclear warheads, sources said the next missile in the series can carry even up to 10 nuclear warheads, capable of hitting multiple targets simultaneously.

After the first test launching of 5,000 km range Agni-V missile while many had raised question about its ICBM capabilities, though it can hit the target anywhere in Asia, Africa and Europe except America, the development of Agni-VI would definitely be a befitting reply to them.

Apart from the Agni-VIâ€™s ground version, the DRDO is also simultaneously working out for its underground variant.

The submarine launched version of the missile will arm the Arihant class submarines of the Indian Navy. This missile with a strike range of 6,000 kilometers can carry a payload of one tonne.
â€œWe are seriously contemplating to enhance the reach of our strategic missiles. The development of Agni-VI will be a step forward to accomplish the goal. With the present strength we are capable of developing the inter-continental ballistic missiles which can hit targets beyond the range of 10,000 km,â€ added the scientist.:thumb:

Looks like they are testing the water for the range, it will be SLBM version that is for sure. Uncle will sure make noise with other western countries for that range. I think right now we should concentrate on BMD, multi kill vehicle, ASAT, SLBM of 4k range and getting A4 & 5 inducted at fast pace. Wont be bad idea to have MIRV AC killers for any future chines threat from its future ACs.

40 m, with dia of 1.1 m is too long for road or rail mobile version, it will be very difficult to hide it. Underground is only option, if they make it. But canister launch A5 can be put to same use, with 20 m & about 2.5 m in dia, dig up to put the , missile with canister hideen in Indian style hut, about 200 km from border. Looks like CNN-IBN story is for testing the reactions from world over.

Oh well. Are we really looking at a single warhead variety ? Bongs have this tenacity to have a Bhi for V. and have errors in their Pha or Bha. So F to them if Pha instead.

Agni VI named above is quiet close to the Agni IV variant. It was after all Agni II morphing into Agni IV.

So an Agni III morphing into Agni VI fits in with the scheme of things. The reporter got sidetracked. He ended up reporting the wrong numbers.

Agni IV was a sleeker variant. Agni VI will also be a sleeker variant. Makes sense.

Agni III/Agni IV/Agni V/ Agni V+ are all the same missiles, just variants. Agni V+ is the all composite variant of Agni V. It will just be MIRV for the world. It will not be tested from the description of the article.

Agni IV and Agni VI will share the same DNA. Agni IV will share the composite motors with Agni V and composite motors. But they are cousins rather than brothers. Agni VI is the new brother of Agni IV.

Will need more confirmation from a different report on the bonlish/hinglish error.

i think it is journlistic error.the length is 14m and not 40m and width is 2.1m not 1.1m.also after that we testing agni-6 we can go for much longer range 15k icbm in another 2-3 years.this is a great acheivement for drdo especially asl.

i think it is journlistic error.the length is 14m and not 40m and width is 2.1m not 1.1m.also after that we testing agni-6 we can go for much longer range 15k icbm in another 2-3 years.this is a great acheivement for drdo especially asl.

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Well the 1.1 meters quote is consistent with the Agni II becoming Agni IV. it's still slim. It's a single warhead variant. A VI will be a AIII version of A IV. Agni III has a capability of launching 1.5 to 2 tons. It's 55 tons in weight. So likely the two missiles were mixed or the message was all mixed up.

So I won't be surprised if the final dimensions of the missile are 1.1 x 14 meters. With a range of 8 to 10k. It's the specs of Minuteman. Minuteman is a single warhead variant. Since we already have the MIRV Agni V and Agni V+ we weill now get a Agni III+ or Agni VI with a single warhead capability. To boot Agni V+ all composite will weigh 55 tons. Composites reduce the weight of the lower stage and carry more propellant. Payload weight was reduced by 60% in Agni V by using composites. Imagine an all composite missile with the dimensions of Agni V. That's one of the missiles. An all composite variant of Agni III with a shared DNA with Agni II +. That's the other missile a thinner 1.1 meter diameter missile 14 meters in length. We already have every technology in place. It's just a matter of fabricating it and testing it as a new configuration. So all this design and stuff is just to show we are scaling up. It's possible to launch in 3 months. However it will be like developing Agni V and Agni VI/ Agni III+ together. That's sending the wrong signals to the rest of the world.

So once Agni V production tests are over, we have two new variants to look forward to Agni VI pencil thin 1.1 meters related to brother Agni IV and Agni VII all composite related to Agni V. This will make our progress seem slower to the external world. We are not there yet. We are just learning. This is just a slow rise of India.

The Agni V+ will be the MIRV all composite variant of Agni V or the earlier stated Agni VI. This was also supposed to be submarine launched. Look up the goof up when Dr. Saraswat was promoted. This Agni VI was to be submarine based and land based. It's the same program. It's just being spun around to obfuscate.

So there is a possibility of two new missiles. Not just one as reported.

Olivers, the midgetman is an ICBM with very limited payload - I think it is less than 500 kg.

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All of the below is tea leaf reading. So take it for what it is. Agni IV and the purpose isn't a stretch. So is the MIRV property of Agni III, Agni V.

Think about Agni II+. What was our objective?
Agni II+ was to have a single warhead capability with 3000 km range. Why? It's a counter-force missile. Agni III will be counter value. Destruction of property is the objective with a larger missile/more payload or taking out a lot of counter-value targets which are in the same general area. When you need to take out that one target in tibet and don't need the firepower of a 5 missiles you will understand why this is important. We are showing the world we are prepared to fight a nuclear war not merely have token weapons. This is deterrence at it's deadliest. P5 becomes P6.

Agni III is MIRV variant with 3000 + Km range.
Agni VI disclosed above is similar to Agni II+ for the Agni III/Agni V/ Agni V+
A single warhead variant.

Make a tabular column of all the payloads of Agni I through Agni V. Also make a note of the stated range of Agni Variants. Then think, the dotted lines will appear.

1.1 meters was the give away to me. So we have a further two configurations in the Agni series.

When I say pencil thin Agni III the only character Agni III and Agni IV share will be the stated range. A VI will carry a single warhead like A IV

Renumbering to confuse the observers.

The basic question which leads to these answers is why Agni IV or Agni II+ was needed. The answers will help deduct why Agni VI or Agni III+

We can take the analogy of MIRV vs Single warhead configurations further. MIRV weights 1.5/2/3 tons depending on number of missiles carried.

I have only posited two more variants we can think of Agni V with a single warhead variant 1.1 meters. Or Agni VIII. This is stretching the counter-force logic a lot further.

Agni VII with a 1.1 meter variant which is Agni IX.

Of course this depends on Agni IV's DNA being viewed as a single warhead missile. Possibly counter-force missile. The Agni III/Agni V/ Agni V all composite being MIRV counter-value missiles. Of course the possibility of using MIRV for counter-force exists but it's going to be a waste of warheads to lob so many if we want only one target taken out in Tibet.

are we sure that we developing AGNI- VI. I mean DRDO has not spoken about it.

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Chief Controller R&D (Missiles and Strategic Systems)
Shri Avinash Chander, Distinguished Scientist, Programme Director, SFD and Director, Advanced Systems Laboratory has been appointed as Chief Controller R&D (Missiles and Strategic Systems) wef 03 May 2011. He is an eminent scientist in the field of Missiles and is the Chief Designer of Long-range missile system, with specific contribution in Agni programme management, mission design, guidance, navigation, simulation and terminal guidance. He has unique achievement of delivering and deploying three long-range Agni missile weapon systems viz, A1, A2 and A3.
Presently, he is leading three major system developments; A2p, a technologically challenging state-of-the-art system; a 5,000 km canister-launched A5 system; and a 6000 km A6 system with multiple warheads (MIRV) capable of launching both from the ground and underwater

As to A VI disclosure we see this from DRDO goof up then there is the CNN IBN article. So let's see I only join the dots which are available.

This A6 is now A7 in my post above. Number change to obfuscate.

What is A6? is the question. Answer is A IV DNA of single missile with range of Agni AIII in my book. To be used for counter-force.